It’s one thing to be a star in a soccer-crazed country. It’s another to be responsible for a moment of unbridled joy and euphoria.
Here’s the thing about Torres: he was already widely recognizable. Whether it’s his stature at 6-foot-2, his wide grin or his big hair, it was easy to pick out Torres in a crowd.
And then it became amplified in a way even Torres could not have expected. He went from being the captain of the Los Canaleros, to national hero. On the cusp of another devastating shortcoming on the soccer field, Torres and his right boot became etched in Panamanian history.
Now something mundane like going to the store can turn into a crush of fans wanting their moment with Torres. Trips to his old neighborhood are mob scenes. He didn’t ask for this type of attention and notoriety. He accepts it as part of who he has become.
Just a few years ago, Torres being in that position was in question. Shortly after his arrival in the United States to join the Seattle Sounders in MLS, Torres sustained a torn ACL in his left knee and was sidelined for nearly a year.
”When I got injured I had times when I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to return to soccer,” Torres said. ”It was a moment of anger when I was told that I would be out for almost a year. It felt like the world was collapsing around me. After some time, I simply asked God to give me strength and the will to sacrifice myself every single day to get up early for my therapy, to give me mental fortitude. I think that was the case.”
When Torres returned, he played with the same aggressive, attacking style of defense that first attracted the attention of MLS and made him a stalwart for Panama. Yet he’ll be forever remembered in Seattle for his right foot, just like he is in Panama. Torres scored the deciding penalty to win the 2017 MLS Cup for Seattle, giving the club its first league championship.
That goal was a precursor for what he did for Panama. And Torres understands the task beginning Monday night – while a moment of immense pride and emotion for himself and his teammates, will be tougher than anything they’ve faced.